Projects and Products to Make the World a Happier Place. Jennifer Heynen designs sewing patterns, craft kits, quilting fabric, licenses her art to companies for Garden Flags, Bags, Accessories and more all in a Happy and Bright Style.

Jennifer Jangles

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Problem Areas

Hey, Hey,

As promised my problem areas....

I told you, I am on a mission to get organized and I am loving it. We had a three day weekend at home and I got started there. I have some pictures and I will show you tomorrow. But first, I wanted to show you what is driving me crazy at the studio.

I have been so busy this year that I moved into the studio and set it up the best I could. I then had to get to work and haven't really had time for much else. That is why I looove summer, things slow down a bit and my boys go to camp which is way longer than a school day. That gives me time to re-group and boy do I need that this year.

So the above picture is of the boxes that were shipped back to me from Quilt Market in May.... yep still sitting there.... I need better storage.

This is a really nice set of wire shelves. I love these and they hold a lot and right now they are holding a lot of everything. They are kind of a catch all for clay and glaze stuff. I need more shelves.

There's my bisque... all just unloaded from the kiln and put in trays with no rhyme or reason. I need some order here.

Yikes! I think this is my worst. Katie will tell you, every time I go to make jewelry I have to ask her, "Have you seen my...", "Do you know where...." I loose everything, all the time on this desk. But remember, if it goes in a little drawer, I will never put it back. I have to be able to see it. I will get order soon.Whew, there's more but I will save you from all the photos. I have some big plans (as usual) for the fall and the only way I will pull it all off and maintain my sanity is if I am organized. I am starting today, I would love to tackle it all at once but I still have to do my normal tasks of making, glazing, etc. A little bit everyday is how I will get this done.

I wish I could organize my studio, but I have so little space, it's almost impossible! I need to see where everything is too. If I don't I forget I have it and it won't get used.Can't wait to see more!

The best solution for me to store my bisque pieces has been in stackable plastic somewhat clear shoe boxes that are sold at craft stores.

I have a few of those same wire rack shelves pictured in your photos for each: buttons, cabs, pendants.

On each of those specific shelves piled no more than three high - are the plastic shoe boxes. For mine, each box is sorted by the specific "texture design".

Inside of the boxes, the larger pieces just get lined up on the bottom in shape order and the teeny ones each get sorted into sandwich size plastic baggies by shape, all into the same box. Then I put the name of the "texture design" on the front of the box.

This way I just go to the box and pull exactly what I need when I need it. I keep a white board close by so I can make notes about what is low so when I am ready to do wet clay work, I just get my list from the board, then cross off what I make.

Had to get this organized with bisque when I was in major production mode.

Also, for special customers that were re-ordering the same thing in multiples, I even got to the point where they had their own super big plastic bin full of baggies with individual pieces. This helped with shorter turn around time for their specific pieces.

A friend of mine gave me a tip when it comes to cleaning. If you can't tackle it all at once because you have "responsibilities" then clean up ten things an hour and go back to the "have to do" after each ten. Surprising how much can get cleaned that way.

Book: Sew Small

BOOK: Stitch Kitsch

BOOK: Extraordinary Colors

BOOK: Ceramic Bead Jewelry

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Jennifer Jangles uses affiliate programs from time to time for income. These are links that lead to Amazon, Craftsy, and others. This helps me be able to bring you free projects. I never link to anything that I don't personally use or recommend, you can be sure of that. I take this very seriously. As always, please contact me if you have questions.